Lifetime in a moment
by blueflamefreak
Summary: What did Vasquez mean when she said :You always were an asshole, Gorman:? This is my take on how they know each other. Vague onesided :GormanVasquez:


I was watching _Aliens_ the other day,and I was wondering what Vasquez meant by the line "You always were an asshole, Gorman." Henceforth, I started thinking, and then this paticular idea grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go until I wrote it. Bearing in mind that I have a busted shoulder, it took me a while to type it out. I know that the non flashbacks are slightly wrong, but I'm tired and in pain, so suck it up. Oh yeah. Characters arn't mine. I bloody wish. R&R, peoples!

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Vasquez gave a strangled scream as the alien dropped onto her legs, acidic blood hissing angrily as it burned into her legs. There were more coming, she knew, so she pulled out her handgun, shooting as accurately as the pain would allow. She groaned again as the gun finished the clip, knowing she wouldn't make it out of there alive. Looking around wildly, she spotted Gorman who dived against her, pulling out his own handgun. He shot madly, not aiming, and pretty soon he too had finished the clip.

Desperately, he pulled out a standard issue grenade, flicking it open. Vasquez grabbed his hand, steadying him, mind flashing back to the time she had known him.

_Flashback_

Jasmine Vasquez squealed as her shoulder length hair was tugged at, turning around and ready to fight. She put her fists up, but the boy she now recognised as Samuel Gorman was already running away, towards the other side of the playground.

"Sam!" She yelled, running after him, ready to thump him hard. _Nobody gets away with pulling my hair!_ She thought angrily, dodging one of the older kids on the swing as she chased after the boy, hell-bent on at the very least decking him.

He dodged into the large playground, a grin on his face. Nobody was ever able to pull Jasmine's hair, no matter how big they were.

Chancing a glance behind him, his eyes widened as he caught sight of her catching up. He knew that a slide was ahead, so as he sprinted around a corner of the tunnel he was in, he dived into the slide, stifling giggles as he heard her barrel past, obviously furious. Sliding out to the ground, he ran towards home, hearing his hunter let loose an enraged scream as she caught sight of him out of the playground.

"Jasmine! Come here, now!" He heard, and he grinned for the second time in five minutes as he kept running home.

Jasmine scowled at her mother, who had her arms crossed.

"He pulled my hair!" She exclaimed, still scowling. Her mother raised an eyebrow at her.

"You're still not allowed to chase after the other children like that." Her mother scolded, and grabbed Jasmine's hand.

"We're going home, and you're going straight to your room, you hear me?" Jasmine screwed up her face, but never lost her scowl.

"I didn't even touch him. He's the one who pulled my hair." She grumbled, stomping after her mother as she lead the way home.

_End Flashback_

As they pushed the button down together, Vasquez closed her eyes and gripped onto the lieutenant, not caring that he tensed in surprise, then relaxed under her tight grip.

_Flashback_

Jasmine smiled up at Sam, twirling around clumsily in her heels. He grinned at her.

"You look great." He said, offering her his arm. She rolled her eyes, but took it anyway.

"Clumsy as all hell, not to mention a touch awkward, bearing in mind that nobody's seen you in a dress, not to mention heels before." He smirked down at her as she smacked her fist into his chest.

"Shut up, Gorman. The only reason I'm not wearing pants is because my so-called friends would disown me." He lead her out to the waiting hovercar, one of the newest things on earth. Her eyes widened.

"Wow. I guess having a General as an uncle pays off." He rolled his eyes at her.

"My dad engineers these things. We bought one. I borrowed it." Jasmine hit him again.

"Ow! What are you, trying out for the marines?" He rubbed his chest as he opened the door for her. She waited until he was in the hovercar before she answered him.

"You know the answer to that, Sam. Of course I am." Sam stilled before starting the hovercar up. Silence reigned for a little while as they drove towards the reception place.

"I don't want you to join up." He admitted, focusing hard on the road. Jasmine gave him an appraising look.

"Why's that?" She asked, casually leaning against the side to look at him better.

"Because you might get hurt." He muttered, clutching the steering wheel harder. Jasmine stared at him.

"Sam, you know it's the only thing I'm good for." Her voice, laced with bitterness, didn't go unnoticed. Sighing, he pulled the hovercar into a spot and killed the engine. He sat for a moment, then looked at her.

"No, Jasmine, it's not. You're good at plenty of things. You just don't try." They sat in silence.

"Look, Sam, I've already made my deci- mmph!" She was cut off abruptly as Sam crushed his lips to hers. He rested his forehead on hers, panting gently.

"Well, unmake it." He said softly, stroking her face. She stared at him.

"You're in no position to tell me what I can and can't do, Gorman." She hissed, sliding out of the hovercar as quickly as possible, shuffling as fast as she could towards the reception centre that held her friends.

_End Flashback_

Her eyes closed as she heard the excited squeals of the aliens bearing down on them. She could only hope that they could give enough time for Hicks to get the two civilians out to the transport in time, before the aliens started hunting them, too.

_Flashback_

She was alone in the gym, pounding away at the punching bag, teeth gritted in concentration, sweat soaking the standard issue singlet shirt she had been given, dog tags clinking together softly as she moved.

The door opened softly, and she glanced up, expecting it to be Drake, Hicks, Frost or even Apone. Her next punch faltered as she recognised the man standing nervously just inside the door.

"Sam?" She whispered, dark eyes scrutinising his figure.

"Jasmine." He replied awkwardly; hope, fear and apprehension seeping into his voice.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, crossing the gym, taking in the uniform. He gave a half smile.

"I made lieutenant." He told her as she stared at him.

"You asshole, you didn't even join from the bottom." He smirked at her.

"That's because I'm smarter than you are." He told her smugly. She punched him.

"I asked what you are doing here." She crossed her arms, waiting expectantly. He sighed.

"I'm commanding your next mission. I just want to ask one thing from you, though." He paused, obviously uncomfortable. They hadn't spoken since the night of their Formal, back in their last year of high school.

"What is it?" She asked, wary. His eyes travelled around the gym.

"Look, I want you to pretend not to know me. It'll be easier that way, and there'll be no awkward explanations." She stared at him.

"Fine. I'll see you for the mission. Lieutenant." With that, she turned and started beating the hell out of the punching bag again. She didn't even look up when she heard the door close with the familiar _hiss_.

_End Flashback_

"You always were an asshole, Gorman." She told him just before the grenade exploded, sending both Private Jasmine Vasquez and Lieutenant Samuel Gorman into oblivion.

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Enjoy? Like to tell me? Please? This being my first _Aliens_ ficlet and all. 


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